Early Lobden Golfers - Mr Frederick Lye

Born 1860, died April 1948 aged 88.

Captain Rochdale Golf Club 1906 and Lobden Golf Club in 1908, he was a member of both the Lobden and the King's Road courses.

Mr Lye was made the first Honorary Member of the Rotary Club in Rochdale in 1929 at the age of 70. He had a remarkable career, he started as a boy at the grocery department of the Rochdale Pioneers and, with perseverance and business acumen, became a wealthy man. He had connections with John Bright and was a witness to his will.

He became a Director at Messrs John Bright & Brothers Mill at Fieldhouse.

Mr & Mrs Lye and Leonard their son entertained the Choral Society of the Mill at Nab Farm, where open-air concerts took place on the lawn.

His first recorded handicap was 20 in 1896. By 1907 this had reduced to 13 when winning the Allan Stevens Shield with 87-13=74. In March 1909 he again won the Stevens Shield with 84-12=72, later the same year he won a members prize with 77-11=66. By 1910 at the age of 50 he won an eclectic competition off 2/3rds handicap with 76-7=69 and later qualified for the Captain's Final with  86-9=77, winning the 36 hole final with 164-18=146. A month later he won a play-off for a members prize with 76-7=69.

Mr Frederick Lye drove the first ball at the new Rochdale Golf Club at Bagslate on 3rd November 1906, one day after the King's Road course was closed.

His son Gilbert, a member for a few years at Lobden, had reduced his handicap to 10 by 1913. In 1916 Lieutenant Gilbert Lye, was killed in action on the Somme.

It was announced in 1926 that Mr & Mrs Lye had purchased 42 acres of land adjoining the Springfield estate and had offered to the corporation for recreational purposes.

In the following year he also drove the first ball at Rochdale Municipal Golf Course (now known as Springfield Park) on 2nd April 1927. Archie Compston and T G 'Tommy' Renouf played an exhibition match to celebrate the opening of the course.

He was a generous benefactor to local and national causes. He gave Nab Farm as a new home of the Rochdale Poor Children's Moorland Home Organisation. This was originally a 'Rest Cottage' for the workers of John Bright & Bros.

In 1929 he bought 36 acres of land, some of which he gave to the National Playing Field Association. Along with another gentleman from Broadley he gave land for a small park at Healey.

On 3rd February 1930, at the age of 70, he was elected President of Rochdale Golf Club. To celebrate his 70th, he gave a cup to be played for on the 5th April, it was won by E Rushton with 84-17 = 67.

Mr Lye accepted the invitation to be Captain for the Jubilee Year in 1938, but owing to ill-health, he had to decline the offer, stating that 'he could not do justice to the position and asked to be excused'.

At the Committee meeting held at The Albion on April 4th 1940, it was agreed that the following telegram be sent to Mr Lye, 'Heartiest greetings on your 80th birthday and very many happy returns of the day. Come up and see us sometime. Captain and members, Lobden Golf Club'.

For many years the members played for a prize donated annually by Mr Lye.